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Beloved for its rich history and flavour, Parmigiano Reggiano can only be produced in a small area of northern Italy but is known all over the world. If it’s good enough for Gennaro Contaldo…

“Parmigiano Reggiano is the mother of all cheeses in Italy,” declares the sprightly 73-year-old with his trademark enthusiasm. “It doesn’t matter where you go; it’s in every Italian kitchen.” Contaldo, who taught Jamie Oliver how to cook Italian food in the Nineties, originally hails from the Amalfi Coast in Campania where Parmigiano Reggiano is liberally grated onto fresh tagliatelle tossed in garlic, chilli and juice from the region’s fragrant lemons.

Parmigiano Reggiano is the mother of all cheeses in Italy – it’s in every Italian kitchen

“The cheese gives flavour and makes the plate come alive,” he explains. “It helps the beautiful Amalfi lemons to really shine, so the scent gets in your brain.” Parmigiano Reggiano, which is more commonly known as Parmesan in the UK, holds a special place in cooks’ hearts because of its story. As a product with Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status, it must be made in its small area of origin in northern Italy in a traditional way, governed by strict rules and quality standards. This makes Parmigiano Reggiano an inimitable cheese with a unique flavour. Only raw cow’s milk can be used to make the cheese wheels, which weigh, on average, 40kg and must be aged for a minimum of 12 months. As no maximum maturation period has been set, Parmigiano Reggiano can mature for much longer, with the average age of Parmesan being 24 months, yet older ages such as 36-month, 40-month and beyond are widely available. Even the cows’ diet is controlled – certain feeds, such as silage, are forbidden and at least 75 per cent of the animals’ forage must be sourced locally.

Gennaro Contaldo’s sea bass and potato bake with Parmigiano Reggiano

750g waxy potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced Butter for greasing and baking About 10 sage leaves, roughly torn 500g sea bass fillets, thinly sliced 30g Parmigiano Reggiano 18 months old, grated Salt and pepper

Ingredients

hef Gennaro Contaldo has cooked his way from Puglia to Piedmont and back again, searching for local Italian recipes with Jamie Oliver and the late, great Antonio Carluccio. But there was one ingredient he found in every region he visited.

The proof of the Parmesan… cracking a wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano

The gourmet’s friend: Parmigiano Reggiano isn’t only for shaving or grating

Wall of cheese: the smell of the warehouse rooms is ‘magical’

“There is only one Parmigiano Reggiano,” Contaldo says. “To make one cheese wheel you need 550 litres of milk and there are only two other ingredients: rennet and salt. But I always say there’s a fourth ingredient: lots and lots of love. So much work goes into these cheeses – from farm to cheesemaker to maturing. When you walk into the warehouse rooms where big wheels of Parmigiano Reggiano are left to mature, reaching almost to the ceiling, the smell is magical.” At 12-19 months, Parmigiano Reggiano has a delicate, buttery flavour and crumbly texture, while at 20-26 months the cheese develops tropical fruit, nutty and savoury notes, plus a grainy texture. Older cheeses are even more intense and grainy. “I love, love, love the 24-month-old cheese,” Contaldo says. “And not just for grating. Serve a few chunks of Parmigiano Reggiano with figs, sweet melon, prosciutto and some red wine – it’s incredible. Or put shavings with fresh strawberries and a little balsamic. If there is something better in the world, I don’t want to know.” Even the rind can be used, he adds, because there is no wax coating on the cheese. “You can add it to stocks to give depth and flavour,” Contaldo says. “I like to cut little pieces and drop them into minestrone as it cooks. They soften up and become chewy, so when you bite them you get this lovely flavour on the tongue. With all my heart I love it.” Evidently, the rest of Italy feels the same way.

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. 2. Place the potato slices in a pan of water, bring to the boil and cook for three minutes, remove, drain well and dry on kitchen cloth. 3. Grease an ovenproof dish with butter and line with some potato slices, scatter on some sage leaves, dot with a little butter, and add salt and pepper. Then place some sea bass on top and scatter on a little grated Parmigiano Reggiano. 4. Cover with potato slices and continue making layers like this until all the ingredients have been used up, finishing with more grated Parmigiano Reggiano. 5. Cover with foil and bake in the oven for 20 minutes, remove the foil and bake for a further 5 to 10 minutes until nice and golden on top.

method

Serves 2-4

To find out more, visit parmigianoreggiano.com